Lamb meat and mutton are terms for the meat of sheep (ruminants). The terms depend on the age and sex of the animal. A sheep two months old is called a lamb, a juvenile sheep up to12 months old, a hogget (zygouri in Greek), while an adult female sheep is a ewe and a male a ram. Lambs have more tender meat with a more delicate taste while the meat of adult sheep is tougher and has a stronger taste. Traditionally, sheep were breeded for their meat and milk. Sheep milk was used for the production of dairy products.
Lamb meat contains high biological value protein, complex B vitamins, iron, zinc and selenium. Since the largest part of unsaturated fats consumed by sheep are hydrogenated in their stomachs into saturated fat, their meat usually contains a high proportion of the latter.